Abstract

GIS was first introduced in Malaysia about a decade ago. Amongst the major issues that arose, was the absence or lack of digital geospatial data. GIS users then, needed to digitize their own data from hardcopy maps or survey plans to convert them to digital data. This conversion was certainly time-consuming and expensive, so much so, that accuracy of data was not of paramount importance. At present, with the realization of GIS as a tool capable of storing massive data, manipulating, displaying and querying, modeling, visualization applicable to multiple discipline, has lead to a rapid demand for GIS data and spatial data. The producers and suppliers of these data are no longer restricted to the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia as the government agency for mapping, but GIS users can now obtain digital geospatial data from other government agencies such as the Agriculture Department, Local Government Authority, Department of Director-General of Lands and Mine as well as commercial data suppliers and geographic service providers. Consequently, the problems today are caused more by the increasing availability of digital geospatial data rather than the absence or lack of them.